Category Archives: Careers

Although it is in the professions name, some are not aware that a medical billing and coding professional, is actually to separate jobs in one. Many offices hire either one or the other, but there are those who hire one person to perform both jobs. It is usually a smaller office, with out as much patient flow, as say, a larger hospital, with many patients being seen on a daily basis.

A medical biller, would be one who would take the information that the medical coder had already provided, regarding diagnosis’s and procedures, and input those codes to an electronic insurance claim form to be sent via internet, for a speedy return of reimbursement. Knowing what each insurance company expects on their submissions can be tricky when first learning the process, and to a degree there may be a bit of trial and error, initially. Once a system is established, the process is usually error proof, but it does take experience.

The medical coder is one who would analyze and decipher, from the physicians notes, what codes would need to be used in order for the maximum medical reimbursement return, for the services in which the physician has provided to the patient. The job usually involves a great deal of research and analysis.

What Are CPT Codes

For those of us who work in the medical billing & coding career field, we know how important it is to use the correct CPT codes, when working with insurance forms. The definition of a CPT code is, Current Procedural Terminology, which is the standard name described and authorized by the American Medical Association, to consistently classify and recognize medical procedures.

The five alpha numeric characters that indicate an exact procedure performed by healthcare professionals. Every year, in January and sometimes in July, the American Medical Association (AMA) is responsible for updating the coding standards and obliterating the codes that are non-existent. Most medical offices are on the lookout, for the updates, come, January. To not be prepared, could mean delays in insurance reimbursements, and possibly denials, due to wrongful coding.

Modifiers

There are also modifiers to CPT codes, that are available to the medical coder, as they allow additional information to be added to the original procedure, in order to better explain what the physician has performed. With these added use of addendum’s in some processes, allows the elimination of fewer errors in the billing process, and in turn grants speedier payments.

The bottom line is that the outcome of both jobs, either the medical biller or the medical coders, are equally a great benefit to the offices who employ these highly skilled professionals.

It is highly doubtful that asking an elementary school student, “what would you like to grow up to be”, would elicit an ìI want to be a Physical Therapy Assistant response. First of all, it is highly doubtful that most if not all students, even know what a physical therapy assistant is, much less, what they do for a living.

This is one of the many healthcare careers that labor in obscurity behind the more glamorous and better known like, Nurse, Doctor, and Plastic Surgeon, as discussed on a career health blog. Too many will never know a physical therapist until they need one.

Children are more apt to respond about the celebrity and other characters that they have access to on a daily basis. They are bombarded by action and excitement on television and in the movies, and thus seek to emulate their favorite hero’s. Even the most painfully precise, analytical and research role of a crime scene investigator, has been elevated to super hero status today.

The truth is that few if any CSI members have ever pulled their service revolver, yet they do it all the time on TV and even make the arrests of the bad guys. This is what kids see, and know, and why they think this will be exciting to, be a part of. No one ever said that physical therapy would be exciting, no one, but those who have had their lives restored to a sense of normalcy after an accident or injury.

Psychological Obstacles Affecting the Physical Therapy Assistant

The physical therapy assistant of today plays a very tenuous balancing act when it comes to performing their services for their patient’s. Bedside manner plays an important role when ministering to your clientele, but each patient is a different individual and can be expected to respond differently to different stimuli.

Some people need a great deal of support and encouragement, and are very fragile both physiologically and emotionally when it comes to their affliction and disability. Others with much stronger mental capacities and emotional stabilities would never accept being treated as one might treat a fragile patient.

The physical therapy assistant must be able to recognize both individuals and address them accordingly. While empathy is certainly called for when treating patients, too much emotional expression can have a detrimental effect on the progress of a therapy. On the other hand, the attempt to remain aloof can also be interpreted as a sign of disdain and disinterest. Definitely not the way you want your patient’s to view you.

The duties required of a pharmacy tech vary somewhat according to what kind of pharmacy they work in. For instance the list of duties which a retail pharmacy technician is expected to perform is generally not as involved as the list which a pharmacy tech working on a hospital pharmacy would be expected to do.

For instance, in the hospital a pharmacy tech may be expected to restock operating rooms and anesthesia trays. However, there is no need for such a task in a retail pharmacy. A common task for a retail pharmacy tech is requesting refills from a doctor’s office for patients. In a hospital this is generally not necessary.

In a long-term care facility a pharmacy tech might be expected to deal with controlled substances and the documentation involved in dispensing those drugs. On the other hand, this would not be necessary in a nuclear pharmacy, in which radioactive products are handled.

As you can see there’s quite a bit of variation in the jobs the pharmacy tech is expected to perform.

Where to Work As a Pharmacy Technician

When you go to look for a job as a pharmacy tech, don’t forget that there are jobs available in more places than your local retail drugstore pharmacy. Although that may be a good place to begin your search.

Retail Pharmacy

Your local retail pharmacy is often what springs to mind when first considering a job as a pharmacy tech. Pharmacy techs and retail pharmacy fill prescriptions, restock over-the-counter medications, answer phones, and restock the medicine supplies when they are received from a supplier. In addition, they may be expected to perform administrative functions such as ensuring that the pharmacy has authorization from a insurance company to fill a prescription.

Hospital Pharmacy

In a hospital pharmacy to pharmacy tech performs many of the same functions as they would a retail pharmacy however they also have extra duties such as restocking drugs for operating room’s and for anesthesiologists.

These are just two of the most common types of jobs where a pharmacy tech might find employment. Other places may include working as a pharmacy tech in a long-term care facility, or even a nuclear medicine pharmacy.

There are many unexpected places in which a pharmacy tech might find employment.

The high paying salary for an ultrasound tech is just one example of an occupation that pays well with minimal training required. Today we are living in a world that has now been heavily influenced by modern technological developments that are becoming part and parcel of modern living.

Many sectors in the medical field have witnessed a huge boost economically as a result of introduction of technology as part of daily procedures. According to popular ultrasound technician blog, the medical industry has also had its fair share of advantages that it has derived from technological transformations one of them being ultrasound technology.

This is a modern form of diagnosis that utilizes modern equipment and tools running on high technological platforms to diagnose illnesses and various medical conditions affecting the body. Ultrasound technicians have witnessed a major boost in terms of technology as machines are coming up each day, this has made this field to be more popular and recognized and those who associated this field with a low ultrasound technician salary are beginning to have a change of mind as they are currently earning very attractive perks.

Ultrasound Technician Salary

Have you ever wondered how much a ultrasound technician makes? Their salary is very profitable if you based and compare it to other jobs. The beginning salary of an ultrasound technician is about $40,000 annually. This is not bad, considering how the economy is today. But it can still grow. If you work hard, the possibility of earning more than double your beginning salary is within your reach. There is a chance that you will eventually earn around $85,000 a year.

This is really something considering the nature of the job of an ultrasound technician. All you have to do is enroll on a course that will help you become an ultrasound technician and pretty soon you will be allowed to start your work. There are many job opportunities in hospitals as well as other facilities like clinics and doctor’s office. You should apply where the place suits you best.

Educational Requirement to Become an Ultrasound Technician

Any individual who is interested in building his career as a sonographer, may train for a year in ultrasound technician schools and earn a certificate for it, or take a 2-year associate’s degree, or finish a 4-year bachelor’s degree. If time and financial resources are an issue, taking one-year training may suffice for a while; however the income may not be maximized.

The study programs are categorized into 3 portions. The first one is the classroom learning where theories are learned. The second one is the laboratory where the student gets to see and touch the machine and so some relevant experiments. The third and last one is the externship. Externships provide opportunities for experiential learning through practical experiences. The students are observed, trained and graded by a visiting doctor or a licensed ultrasound technician.

There is nothing better than having a career that has many benefits. We all know that immediately after you are offered a job, the first thing you ask, is what the benefits package is. Having a job that has benefits, such as house allowance and health coverage is good because you will always be at ease knowing you will never sleep outside and in case you are sick you can visit the hospital without high costs. The certified nurse assistant career comes with an attractive salary and also various benefits.

If you want to know, how much does a cna make in your state, you should research online on a site like cnasalary.biz, to see the average salaries paid. You should know that with a job that offers benefits you will not be forced to use your salary if for instance you get sick and need healthcare. If you are a young person and you are wondering what career to pursue, deciding to become a certified nurse assistant will be a wise decision. If you decide to become a certified nurse assistant get ready to learn a lot and make a great income.

What Are the CNA’s Duties and Responsibilities?

In most health care facilities, cna duties are almost alike and that they are all intended to care for the patient. When a CNA starts his shift in a hospital, he will be informed of the room assignments of his patients. In addition, once the nurses for that shift have been provided by their report from the previous shift, the nurse will meet with the CNA and give them more detailed medical information and explain to them what would be the appropriate care to give to their patients.

All throughout their shift, the CNA will obtain vital signs once in a while and document them on the patient’s chart. They will assist with using the restroom, either using a bedpan or by helping the patient to the bathroom. The CNA may also need to remain with their patients to ensure their safety or when a need arises.

If a patient is diabetic, they may be required to check periodically patient’s sugar levels at the start and end of shift, and they will also be in charge for supervising the meals that are provided for the patient. The CNA must also be alert of food the patient is discouraged to have in case of faults made in the kitchen when preparing their tray. Hospital patients usually require nominal assistance with hygiene, primarily needing their supplies set up for them as they wash themselves, and some patients do require absolute hygiene care. They should also clean a room once the patient has been discharged, providing clean linens and hospital gowns.

How to Find Online CNA Classes

The internet is a great way to find cna classes, both online and for local institutions where you can take these classes. Many are choosing to go the e-learning route because it is so convenient. You are able to work at your own pace and learn from the comfort of home. This really is a great way to become a certified nursing assistant f you are a self starter and you are disciplined enough to complete you assignments.

Search engines like Google and Yahoo make it very easy to fine the type of classes you are looking for. You simply navigate to Google’s main page and type in “cna classes” or alternatively you could also type in “online colleges” to find some reputable institutions. Upon search you will likely find many choices and it is important to do your due diligence to be sure you enroll in a reputable school.